Area students score above state, national averages on SAT

Henderson County ranks 16th among state's 115 public school districts in SAT results

From staff reports

Published: Friday, September 27, 2013 at 9:22 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, September 27, 2013 at 9:22 a.m.

Area students score above state, national averages on SAT

Henderson County ranks 16th among state’s 115 public school districts in SAT results

From staff reports

The average combined 2013 SAT score for Henderson County Public Schools exceeds state and national averages, according to a news release issued this morning.

The release from the school district office says the average 2013 combined SAT score of 1,514 is higher than the state combined average score of 1,479, and above the national combined average score of 1,498.

Though Henderson County students’ scores remained in the top 20 school districts in the state, the county’s ranking slipped slightly when compared with 2012.

This year’s score was the 16th highest out of the state’s 115 school districts, according to the release. In 2012, Henderson County Public Schools had the ninth-highest SAT score. In 2011, the district had the 10th highest.

The SAT is an assessment that provides educators an important measure of academic achievement as students prepare for post-secondary college and career opportunities. Typically, students take the test during their junior and senior years to assess their ability to reason, solve problems and gauge the knowledge and skills they develop in their high school course work, according to the College Board, which develops the test.

In 2013 testing, the school system’s seniors posted an average critical reading score of 510, higher than the state and national averages. The state average critical reading score was 495, and the national score was 496.

The average mathematics score for Henderson County Public Schools was 513, which is above the state average and one notch below the national average. The average state mathematics score was 506; the national was 514.

The average writing score for the schoo system was 491. North Carolina’s senior class of 2013 had a writing score of 478, and the national writing score was 488.

High performance on ACT

Local students scored the ninth-highest performance on the other major college admissions test, American College Testing, or ACT, according to the release.

The ACT has been selected as North Carolina’s new college readiness measure for high schools and reflects scores for the entire student population. The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement test consisting of five exams in English, reading, mathematics, science and writing.

Henderson County Public Schools had 423 seniors take the SAT in 2013. North Carolina has in the past been considered an “SAT state,” with the vast majority of college-bound students favoring this admissions test, according to the school district’s release.

In 2012, all high school juniors took the ACT for the first time as part of the state’s new READY accountability model. This means that students can use their ACT results for college admission and not have to pay to take a college entrance exam. Henderson County Public Schools had 840 students take the ACT.

The school system’s composite score of 19.6 for the ACT was the ninth-highest among the state’s public school districts, and the score was above the state average of 18.7. The average score was lower than the national average.

The national average of 20.9 includes scores from states that do not require all students to take the test, as well as from states that do require all students to take the test, according to the news release. North Carolina is now one of only nine states requiring all students to take the ACT.

Kathy Revis, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said the fact that county schools’ continued high ranking when compared with other state schools reflects “the high-quality preparation of our students and their parents across the county. We are very proud of all the schools in the county.”

Revis added that about 20 percent of students countywide take advantage of “SAT boot camps” that take place before and after school.

Assistant Superintendent Bill Parker agreed. “I think it’s yet again affirmation of the high-quality education our students receive in Henderson County public schools,” he said.

Frank Edney, principal at North Henderson High, said, “These scores and these tests are extremely important to prepare students for college, but they still leave out items like work ethic and determination, which are extremely important to being successful in anything. You can have all the accountability in the world, but if you don’t have a solid work ethic and determination, your chances of success are diminished.”

<p>Area students score above state, national averages on SAT</p><p>Henderson County ranks 16th among state's 115 public school districts in SAT results</p><p>From staff reports</p><p>The average combined 2013 SAT score for Henderson County Public Schools exceeds state and national averages, according to a news release issued this morning.</p><p>The release from the school district office says the average 2013 combined SAT score of 1,514 is higher than the state combined average score of 1,479, and above the national combined average score of 1,498. </p><p>Though Henderson County students' scores remained in the top 20 school districts in the state, the county's ranking slipped slightly when compared with 2012.</p><p>This year's score was the 16th highest out of the state's 115 school districts, according to the release. In 2012, Henderson County Public Schools had the ninth-highest SAT score. In 2011, the district had the 10th highest. </p><p>The SAT is an assessment that provides educators an important measure of academic achievement as students prepare for post-secondary college and career opportunities. Typically, students take the test during their junior and senior years to assess their ability to reason, solve problems and gauge the knowledge and skills they develop in their high school course work, according to the College Board, which develops the test.</p><p>In 2013 testing, the school system's seniors posted an average critical reading score of 510, higher than the state and national averages. The state average critical reading score was 495, and the national score was 496. </p><p>The average mathematics score for Henderson County Public Schools was 513, which is above the state average and one notch below the national average. The average state mathematics score was 506; the national was 514.</p><p>The average writing score for the schoo system was 491. North Carolina's senior class of 2013 had a writing score of 478, and the national writing score was 488.</p><h3>High performance on ACT</h3>
<p>Local students scored the ninth-highest performance on the other major college admissions test, American College Testing, or ACT, according to the release.</p><p>The ACT has been selected as North Carolina's new college readiness measure for high schools and reflects scores for the entire student population. The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement test consisting of five exams in English, reading, mathematics, science and writing. </p><p>Henderson County Public Schools had 423 seniors take the SAT in 2013. North Carolina has in the past been considered an “SAT state,” with the vast majority of college-bound students favoring this admissions test, according to the school district's release. </p><p>In 2012, all high school juniors took the ACT for the first time as part of the state's new READY accountability model. This means that students can use their ACT results for college admission and not have to pay to take a college entrance exam. Henderson County Public Schools had 840 students take the ACT.</p><p>The school system's composite score of 19.6 for the ACT was the ninth-highest among the state's public school districts, and the score was above the state average of 18.7. The average score was lower than the national average.</p><p>The national average of 20.9 includes scores from states that do not require all students to take the test, as well as from states that do require all students to take the test, according to the news release. North Carolina is now one of only nine states requiring all students to take the ACT.</p><p>Kathy Revis, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said the fact that county schools' continued high ranking when compared with other state schools reflects “the high-quality preparation of our students and their parents across the county. We are very proud of all the schools in the county.”</p><p>Revis added that about 20 percent of students countywide take advantage of “SAT boot camps” that take place before and after school. </p><p>Assistant Superintendent Bill Parker agreed. “I think it's yet again affirmation of the high-quality education our students receive in Henderson County public schools,” he said. </p><p>Frank Edney, principal at North Henderson High, said, “These scores and these tests are extremely important to prepare students for college, but they still leave out items like work ethic and determination, which are extremely important to being successful in anything. You can have all the accountability in the world, but if you don't have a solid work ethic and determination, your chances of success are diminished.”</p>